


Garden Prisoner

by Selene467



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Gen, Hurt Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Parent Hank Anderson, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Worried Hank Anderson, Zen Garden (Detroit: Become Human), wibbly wobbly technobabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:07:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27011728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selene467/pseuds/Selene467
Summary: Several days after the success of the peaceful android revolution, Hank finds Connor unconscious on the floor of his kitchen. With no idea how to wake or help him, he gets help from Jericho. What will they find?or Amanda is not quite as defeated and gone as Connor thinks.
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor
Comments: 2
Kudos: 87





	Garden Prisoner

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boi, I've done it again. By a sudden stroke of inspiration from a single image that formed in my mind, I've gone and written a DBH fic. This was one of those fandoms I absolutely adored [I've played the game so many times and read hundreds of fanfics] but I never considered writing in this fandom myself. I didn't think I could do it, but after all this time it did actually happen, *gasp*. 
> 
> Curious question to any authors out there: Have you experienced this as well? Believing yourself to never write for a fandom only to end up doing just that? Yeah, it's becoming a trend for me. KH3, Supernatural, FFXV and now DBH.
> 
> ALSO: Rated Mature because Hank Anderson swears a lot, it's in character and I had to write it so yeah, too much swearing for teen I think. Just to be safe.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the read. Amanda has always fascinated me so of course I wrote something involving here.

The only sound in the room was a slow and steady beep as whatever machine Connor was plugged into registered the deviants’ systems, his health status. Connor was functioning, as he would have worded it, but he wasn’t waking up.  
  
Hank stared at his still-as-stone partner. With his eyes closed, he looked so much younger. His led circled in a low and pale yellow. Much better than the red, Hank had found him with.  
  
_“Connor!“ Dropping to his knees beside the unconscious deviant, Hank shook him –perhaps a bit too roughly. “Connor, wake up. Tell me what’s wrong. Connor!” There was no reaction, no change in his stillness. Not even his simulated breathing._  
  
_The only thing indicating he was still “functioning”, alive, was the slowy fading in and out red led._  
  
Feeling his former worry and fear rise to the surface with the memory, Hank reached for Connor’s hand. He just needed to hold on to him while he waited for Simon, Josh and Markus to return.  
  
He remembered Connor feeling warm before, more than usual. He’d started to overheat due to his lack of breathing, a simulated action all androids could perform to make humans around them more comfortable and to keep their own components cool.  
  
Knowing this didn’t make Hank feel any better at the time as he desperately waited for Markus to arrive and save Connor, all the while worrying that the kid was melting his parts on the inside.  
  
_“Hurry! This way!” Hank followed Markus’ lead as he steered the gurney towards the blonde deviant calling them over. Connor remained unrepsonsive as he was rolled into Jericho Tower with haste._  
  
_The trip up to the engineering lab was a blur to Hank, but sooner than his mind could comprehend he found himself watching the blond deviant plugging numerous cables into Connor’s body. Into the back of his neck, one on each temple and two more in_  
_his arm, just above the elbow and wrist._  
  
_Markus‘ friend must have seen something on his face, for he was quick to reassure him. “I know it looks horrific but it doesn’t hurt him and it’s the fastest way to figure out what’s wrong with him.“_  
  
_He turned on a huge monitor which he rolled closer to Connor and connected it to him. Immediately data started to scroll down the screen rapidly, one big jumble of codes and technobabble that Hank for the life of him couldn't hope to understand. The blond deviant stared intensively at the data, rubbing his chin in thought._  
  
_"What is it, Simon? Can you tell what wrong with Connor?" Markus beat him into asking. The blonde-, no Simon, turned to them with a grave look on his face._  
  
_"Your haste in contacting us might very well have saved Connor's life. The rate at which his led is fading in and out is extremely low. Any slower and he would be shut down. Dead." He added that last part for Hank, as if "shut down" wasn't clear enough for his human brain to understand._  
  
_His legs gave out and he vaguely registered another set of hands catching him before settling him gently on a stool. Hank felt faint as his mind focused on the worst scenario. If he'd woken up a little later, would he have found Connor already dead?!_  
  
_"I don't understand his condition, though." Hank refocused on Simon as he stared at the data again. "If it weren't for his active processors, I'd wager he was in a deep form of stasis. It's like he is awake and asleep at the same time."_  
  
_"Like he's dreaming?"_  
  
_"Not exactly. He appears connected to a specific program that is separate from his memory storage, which is what deviants use to simulate dreaming. In fact it seems entirely isolated from the rest of his system."_  
  
_"Can you identify this program?" A third deviant asked, stepping into Hank's view. He realized this was who had caught him before he could hit the ground._  
  
_"No Josh. Unfortunately I cannot. the only thing I can pull from his data in concurrence with this program is one word, -garden-."_  
  
_"Oh fucking hell!" Hank erupted angrily. Would Cyberlife never stop screwing with his kid?!_  
  
_All three deviants turned to him startled by his outburst. "You know what this means?"_  
  
_"I think so, yeah. Connor explained to me once about some program, some place he went to in his mind to report back to Cyberlife. I used to think he physically went there since he had a habit of disappearing on me and then showing up out of the blue once more. But on one occasion he reported to them while we were heading towards a suspect's apartment and he just closed his eyes and well it looked like he was sleeping standing up, his led circling yellow like he was working on something." Hank rubbed his face as he felt exhaustion from stress tear at him._  
  
_"Basically, he told me that Cyberlife made a sort of A.I. program that he reported to directly into his own mind? And the place in his mind where they met was in some kind of big meditative zen garden or some shit."_  
  
_"Interesting. It's highly likely that this program has him stuck there. With Cyberlife no longer in control, perhaps the A.I. went_ rogue _?"_  
  
Hank stood up and paced the length of the room which was quite large. He gravitated closer to Connor as he tried to get rid of his nervous energy. Whatever those three were working on in the other room had his stomach turning. He desperately wanted to help Connor but that didn't make this insane plan of theirs any easier to swallow.  
  
They figured interfacing with Connor would be enough to wake him up, but not one of them could get through the incredible firewall that was set up. But they had detected a minor fluctuation in Connor's systems whenever Hank spoke to him. Thus they had come up with a plan to let Hank, a human, interface with Connor.   
  
Simon had likened it to dream therapy. There were ways of letting people keep control of their dreams, lucid dreaming it was called. Simon was building a sort of interfacing helmet for Hank's brain that would allow him to "dream"himself into Connor's mind, in a manner of speaking. So instead of entering his own dreams, he was entering Connor's mind.   
  
It sounded ridiculous to his own ears, but what choice did he have? He couldn't give up on Connor. the kid deserved better and Hank was not about to lose another son, for that is what he had come to see Connor as.   
  
He gently swiped Connor's hair, that stubborn little lock of hair at the front falling free against Connor's forehead. Stubborn hair for a stubborn android. How had he gone from hating androids to taking one in as family? It was a miracle and a blessing.  
  
The sound of a door opening had him tensing up, but he turned to the deviants regardless of his nerves. "Alright, this should work." Hank eyed the round, saucer-like helmet with distrust. "I won't lie, Hank. There are a great deal of unforeseen consequences to this. I can understand if you deem it too risky."  
  
"Dangerous or not, I'm not abandoning him. You said it yourself, I stand the best chance of getting to him, despite being a mere human. I'm doing this. It's the least I can do for the kid."  
  
They pushed another gurney next to Connor's and Hank laid down on it, hands slightly shaking. He was about to basically upload his own mind into an android's head. Yeah just another Tuesday, right?  
  
The helmet was put in place and cables were connected. Markus looked down at him, trying for reassuring but Hank could tell he was just as wary of this procedure. "Good luck."  
  
"Okay Hank. In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1- "

* * *

A feeling not unlike brain-freeze ripped through his head before it suddenly vanished and he was blinking against a bright light. Sounds and smells filtered through his confusion before his eyesight recovered and what he saw was beyond his expectations.   
  
Connor had told him of the garden, but his descriptions did not do it justice. The place oozed with calm, peace and nature. But there was also an unnerving edge to it and Hank could easily put his finger on it. It felt _too_ calm, too _perfect_. Unnatural.  
  
"God damn it, Connor. This place is _huge_." He was standing on some sort of path that circled both ways around a large pond. He couldn't see Connor anywhere, so he simply started walking one way, hoping to come across him or at least some clue.   
  
As he walked around, he noticed a small side passage leading to a vacant patch of green. He couldn't tell what it was meant for, but it gave him a strange chill down his back. He quickly moved away from it. As continued a path opened towards the middle, where a small platform was situated hugging the pond.   
  
As Hank followed it, he quickly found what he was looking for. "Connor!" Hank ran as fast as possible to the kid, already reaching for him before his mind caught up to what his eyes had seen. A sharp prick in his hand had him pulling back with a gasp.   
  
Connor was seated on a chair completely covered, _almost restrained_ by thorny rose vines. He could see them originating from the rose trellis behind Connor. Connor seemed completely unaware, staring blankly ahead even as Hank noticed the rips in his clothing obviously created by the thorns. In some places Connor's skin was scratched as well, tiny droplets of blue blood sleeping free.   
  
"Connor! Connor, you have to wake up. Can you hear me, son?"  
  
Nothing. Not even a blip from his led which circled a lazy yellow. His eyes appeared greyed out almost and now that Hank looked closer were staring at the table, or more precisely the chessboard on the table. A chess game was under way, or rather appeared to be over. The game was set up in a checkmate, white over black.   
  
Was it significant to Connor's situation? Was it referencing Connor's struggle with this A.I. program?   
  
A sharp tug in his stomach had Hank stumbling back startled. His feet stepped on the edge of the platform and his balance wobbled precariously. Just as he fell backwards he abruptly jolted awake back in the real world, staring into the alarmed faces of Markus, Josh and Simon.  
  
"What the hell guys!? I found him! Why did you pull me out?!" Hank tried to sit up but Simon gently pushed him back down.   
  
"We had to Hank, you were in there for almost two hours. Your mind couldn't take much more." Markus explained hurriedly.  
  
That deflated Hank's anger. Two hours? Surely not. "That's impossible. I was in there for like ten minutes, tops."  
  
"No Hank. Time is distorted in there, possibly the A.I.'s doing. You were in there for two hours."  
  
"Ah shit. Well how long until I can get back in? I need to save the kid."  
  
"I'd give it a few hours, Hank. This is exhausting as the human mind is not meant to interact like this."  
  
"Fuck that! Connor needs me! I can't just leave him there!"  
  
"Hank-"  
  
"No. Put me back in, right now! I accept the risks and all that shit. Sent me back in."  
  
"I really can't recommend it."  
  
"Hank, think about this. Connor would not want you hurting yourself for him."  
  
"Fuck what the kid wants. He's my kid and my responsibility and he's save my life so many times at risk to his own. Now it's my turn. Sent. Me. Back."  
  
"Alright, but if we see any sign of undue stress or danger to your mind, we're pulling you out."  
  
"Whatever." Hank closed his eyes, listening to the reluctant countdown by Simon before that same sharp brain-freeze hit him and he was once more blinking his eyes open to a bright Zen Garden.  
  
He hurried back to the platform. Connor was in the same exact spot, except even more thorn vines were surrounding him now. "Shit, What do I do, kid? Help me out here." Connor didn't react. "Fuck! Think Anderson, you're a bloody detective. Figure this shit out."  
  
He couldn't pull the thorns off Connor. They were wrapped tightly around the kid and any pressure placed on them only made them wrap tighter. He didn't see anything he could use to cut them with either. Connor wasn't responding to his voice or the poke at his cheek. He just sat there unresponsive, staring with that dull gaze the bloody chessboard.  
  
Wait. The chessboard. It was in a checkmate. And not in Connor's favour! He caught it now. This A.I. was created by Cyberlife, those pricks who loved their pristine white in everything! Connor represented the black pieces. He had lost!  
  
"Not on my watch!" Hank reached for the white King intending to topple it despite the game indicating white had already won. The piece wouldn't budge but Hank was not giving up. He heaved with all his might, swears flying from his lips fast and fluently when finally with a sudden lurge, the piece came free toppled over.   
  
A tidal wave of pure energy erupted form the chessboard sending Hank stumbling back a few paces. When he righted himself nothing seemed different. He was about to rage when Connor jerked in his seat and with a loud gasp came back to himself.  
  
"Connor!" Hank rushed to aid the confused deviant. The thorny rose vines, slowly slipped off the kid, dropping to the ground and turning to ashes. Hank was more concerned with his kid. "Hey, whoa, easy. Breathe or something."  
  
"Ha...Hank?"  
  
"Yeah it's me, son. How are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm....confused."  
  
"Yeah I'll bet. So listen, we're in your head right now and we need to get you out, or like...wake you up."  
  
"How are you even here?"  
  
"I'll play twenty questions with you later. Right now I need you to tell me how to get you out of here."  
  
With Hank's help Connor got to his feet. He pointed off into the distance of the garden. "Over there. There should be an emergency exit."  
  
Hank had barely propped the kid into his side for support for his still wobbly legs, when the entire garden froze over. Wind whipped around them in the span of seconds and entire blizzard was upon them. Hank could barely see Connor right beside him.   
  
"What the hell!" He yelled loudly over the wind.   
  
"It's Amanda! She's trying to assume control again!" Connor answered him, voice wavering as if afraid. Hank could understand that fear but the way Connor spoke, as if he was completely in the know about what this snow storm meant, hinted at experience.  
Hank had a suspicion this wasn't Connor's first struggle with the A.I.  
  
"Let's get the fuck out of here then!"  
  
Together they struggled onwards until they finally reached the exit, which to Hank just looked like a weird glowy pedestal. But Connor seemed certain of it. By now both of them were almost frozen solid. They were lucky to get here now for neither of them was taking another step.  
  
"What are you waiting for?! Get out of here, Connor!"  
  
Connor shook his head no. "Not before you! You need to get out of my head before I wake up! I don't know what will happen if you don't!"  
  
"Fuck that! I'm not leaving you alone here! What if something goes wrong?!"  
  
"Please, Hank! I'll be fine! I'll be right behind you!"  
  
Hank firmly grabbed hold of the kid, looking him in the eyes as best he could with the blizzard raging around them. "You better be!" He closed his eyes, focused on the buzz he'd ignored the first time and as he reached for it his balance got screwed and he felt like he was tilting sideways until hands suddenly righted him.  
  
Markus, Josh and Simon reappeared before him but Hank paid them no mind. He wrenched the helmet off and turned towards his partner, his kid, his son. "Hank, what's wrong? What happened?"  
  
Hank ignored them, staring in horror at his unconscious deviant kid. "No, Connor. Come on."  
  
As if he'd heard him, Connor's eyes suddenly snapped open wide and he lunged upwards. "Whoa, easy, You're alright." Hank pulled him into a hug, felt Connor sag into the hold as he took deep breaths.  
  
"Oh thank ra9." Josh exclaimed.   
  
"I've isolated the garden program, Connor. Would you like me to erase it or keep it sealed?"  
  
"Erase it. It's not connected to my own systems. Nothing will be lost."  
  
"Very well."  
  
Connor sighed as if he could feel the weight of the A.I. presence vanish. Perhaps he could, Hank wondered. When Connor pulled out of the hug, he reluctantly allowed it. Bright, warm eyes stared at him, so much better than that dull look inside his mind. "Thank you, Hank."  
  
Hank swallowed the sudden lump in his throat before answering in a totally steady voice. "You're welcome, kid."  
  
_fin_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope it wasn't too horrible. Kinda lost a bit of steam near the end. Just wanted to get it done already. First time writing for Detroit Become Human and surprisingly enjoyed the hell out of it.


End file.
